Overview

If you think that the 2022 Sienna looks more like an SUV than a minivan, that was Toyota’s intent. Although the sliding side doors are a giveaway, the van’s muscular body sides, roof rack, and flat hood help it blend in with the brand’s other SUVs such as the mid-size Highlander and the full-size Sequoia. What you won’t find here that you do in those SUVs is a V-6 or V-8 engine. Instead, the Sienna is offered exclusively as a hybrid; front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. As a result, fuel economy is above average for the minivan class but, unfortunately, the Sienna’s acceleration falls behind its non-hybrid rivals. While most buyers won’t miss the extra pep of the Honda Odyssey’s V-6 engine, some may find the Sienna’s interior less practical than the Chrysler Pacifica’s.

What’s New for 2022?

Toyota has added a Woodland Edition model to the Sienna lineup for 2022. It comes standard with all-wheel drive and sports a 0.6-inch lift kit to give it better ground clearance. The Woodland Edition also includes a suite of accessories intended to make life easier for adventurous buyers, including a roof rack, a tow hitch, and a 1500-watt power outlet.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Unlike previous versions of Toyota’s family van, the 2022 Sienna is offered exclusively as a hybrid. The powertrain consists of a 2.5-liter gasoline-powered four-cylinder engine and a pair of electric motors that combine to make 243 horsepower. All-wheel drive is available and adds a third electric motor in back that drives the rear wheels. The Sienna’s main rival—the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid—is offered solely with front-wheel drive, but its V-6 engine and electric motors make 260 horsepower. Our all-wheel drive Sienna Platinum failed to excite us during acceleration testing, requiring 7.7 seconds to reach 60 mph and completing the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds at only 88 mph; these results are similar to what the Pacifica Hybrid managed, but are far slower than non-hybrid examples of the Pacifica we’ve tested as well as the Honda Odyssey.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The EPA estimates that front-wheel drive versions of the Sienna should deliver 36 mpg city as well as 36 mpg highway with all-wheel drive examples carrying ratings 1 mpg lower at 35 mpg. In our mix of city and highway driving, we managed 29 mpg with our all-wheel drive Platinum test vehicle. When we get a chance to put the new Sienna through our 75-mile highway fuel economy test, we’ll update this story with results. For more information about the Sienna’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Complementing its daring exterior redesign, the Sienna’s interior is modern and stylish. Rather than the open cockpit design of the previous generation model, Toyota has created a tall center console that spans the distance from the dashboard to the center armrest, with a large storage cubby underneath. Upscale Limited and Platinum models have two-tone interior trim and dashboards covered in stitched leather-like material while the sporty XSE model gets black-and-white faux-leather seats with red contrast stitching. Unlike the Odyssey and the Pacifica Hybrid, the Sienna’s second row seats are not removable; however, the optional second-row captain’s chairs can slide forward-and-back a total of 25 inches to help provide maximum legroom for rear-seat riders or to open as much room as possible aft of the second row for cargo. Limited and Platinum models can be had with reclining second-row seats with pop-up ottomans. The two top trims can also be equipped with an onboard vacuum cleaner.

Infotainment and Connectivity

Toyota’s latest infotainment interface is a 9.0-inch touchscreen display which stands upright on the dashboard above the climate controls. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa connectivity features are all standard, and seven USB ports dot the van’s cabin. Toyota provides SiriusXM satellite radio and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot as well. The base stereo is a 6-speaker setup; and XLE models get eight speakers. A 12-speaker JBL stereo system is optional on the XLE and XSE and standard on the Limited and Platinum. In-dash navigation is standard starting with the XSE trim; a rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display is optional on all but the base LE model.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Toyota offers blind-spot monitoring and its Safety Sense 2.0 bundle of driver-assistance features standard on the new Sienna, while convenience items such as parking sensors and a 360-degree exterior camera system are optional. For more information about the Sienna’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

•  Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
•  Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
•  Standard adaptive cruise control